Monday .... Labor Day 2017

beach entrance . Kick off your shoes!

Sunny and warm best describes today at the New Jersey shore. An almost cloudless day for the last official day of tourism at the beach.  And the beaches will be packed today!
After today the tourists pack up and the life guards stop guarding the beaches.

Ship Bottom on LBI*.(this photo by Irving Anderson)

The "snowbirds' who live in Florida for the winter and come home to New Jersey for the
summer begin to trickle back down south again, though some wait  until October. They own a home here and in Florida too.
These homes will be empty all winter and our population dwindles down again.

I am joining with Toni's Creative Adventures again and so should you.  It is a great way to get to know people and their thoughts etc.



The Carousel Ride
1.   While on vacation the past two weeks, I took the time to visit an old amusement park

that is now abandoned. Hearing what sounds like carousel music I decided to enter the park through the open gate and much to my surprise I see an old Merry-go-Round glittering with lights

That's me in the foreground at Seaside Heights

2.   Waiting for the ride to stop I find myself getting up on one of the little ramps that take you up to the Carousel.  When the ride finally stops I swing into the saddle of a black horse whose mane is tossed carelessly to the wind.

3.   Feeling like a young kid again I close my eyes, smile and hum along with the music until the ride comes to a complete stop._

4.   Now a little sad I realize it was all in my imagination and leaving the park I think to myself that it is a shame such places closed down from lack of interest.  We used to be a more carefree people in the past, or more willing to leave our cares behind for an innocent day of fun. There were more amusement parks in America once upon a time. Not the mega parks like Disney or Great Adventure where you pay and arm and a leg to wait in long lines, but smaller parks that were more friendly.
 I would like to revive those days. We need them back.   

Today's Month long meme question:
4 What were your hobbies as you were growing up?

  Trains, trains, more trains and did I mention trains?
I wanted to be a railroad engineer.
I enjoyed Archie, Richie Rich and Little Audrey comic books. I spent hours in the library reading through the encyclopedia Britannica.
I liked playing baseball, ice skating and archery and was pretty good at them even at a very young age.

Have a happy and safe Labor Day.
*
LBI is Long Beach Island just across the bay from where I live.